St. John’s new-look backcourt hopeful of taking next step in exhibition finale against Michigan

Although not point guard as Rick Pitino had initially hoped, Ian Jackson’s knowledge of game is increasing as St. John’s readies for final exhibition game before season opener. (Photo by St. John’s Athletics)

NEW YORK — The biggest offseason question surrounding St. John’s has been where, and to whom, the Red Storm will turn at the point guard position after being willed to success through the hands of Daniss Jenkins and Kadary Richmond over the past two seasons.

Head coach Rick Pitino has a different approach this year with no proven floor general to lean on as the Johnnies, ranked fifth in the nation, begin the season, but to suggest that the two-time national champion mentor does not have a plan would be folly at its finest.

Pitino revealed last week that Stanford transfer Oziyah Sellers would be the de facto ball handler in the backcourt, but the coach has stood by his positionless basketball approach as St. John’s heats up for its second of two exhibition games, welcoming Michigan to Madison Square Garden Saturday. However, that is not to say the verdict at which he arrived was not reached through trial and error.

“We tried about five different guys,” Pitino said, ultimately realizing that forward Zuby Ejiofor was a greater ball handler than his initial option at the point, Ian Jackson. “Then we realized when we broke down practice that Zuby was handling the ball more than our point guard, so that’s when we said it was a positionless offense. Oziyah is going to defend the point guard, he’s going to bring it up more than the other players in the backcourt, but once you get to the frontcourt, it’s positionless basketball so it really is not that important. Ian was just turning the ball over too much when he was bringing it up. That’s not his natural position.”

Jackson may not be the on-ball guard Pitino was hoping for over the summer, but the coach heaped praise on the North Carolina transfer, taking pride in the sophomore becoming a student of the game since his return home.

“I’m going to be very frank: I was concerned this summer, at the beginning of the summer,” Pitino shared. “I thought this would be too much for Ian to handle coming home, with his reputation and the way he was playing at that time. But Ian, without question, is the most improved basketball player. He’s gone from the 10th or 11th man to one of the top three on our team, and I’m really happy for him that he’s evolved.”

“When you say a player is a sponge, he’s in the offices after practice with Coach (Steve Masiello) and Coach (Bob) Walsh looking at film, (saying) where can I get better? So I’m really, really excited and happy that he’s evolved into the player he is today, because it was tough to watch at the beginning of the summer.”

Jackson himself has noticed an expansion in his knowledge both with and without the ball in his hands, and feels that his relationship with Sellers on the floor has grown in tandem.

“My understanding of the game has grown,” Jackson declared. “I feel like I’ve picked up small things, like knowing when to take certain shots, when to make the extra pass, seeing guys open, just the small things you probably won’t see on a stat sheet. It’s huge in being a great player.”

“(Sellers and I) complement each other well. We’re both very unselfish. Oziyah is an excellent 3-point shooter, I would say I’m a decent shooter, but we both shoot the ball really well and our size at the one and the two, both being 6-foot-5, is tremendous.”

Sellers came to St. John’s with a reputation for being a knockdown shooter, as evidenced by how he was used by Stanford head coach Kyle Smith. Like his backcourt partner, he, too, has been tutored in a new curriculum, but believes that the lessons he has been taking will pay off in increasing fashion leading into St. John’s opener.

Oziyah Sellers has moved into starting point guard spot, although St. John’s is still running a largely positionless offense. (Photo by St. John’s Athletics)

“I would say just handling the ball, being on-ball more,” Sellers said of what he has been adjusting to most under Pitino. “At Stanford, my role was kind of coming off ball screens, but I was a lot more off-ball. Obviously, now having to bring the ball up, facilitate and things like that, that’s something I have to continue to do.”

“I feel like it’s been going pretty well. I’ve been at this now since the summer, so by now, I’m pretty comfortable in that position. I feel like I’ll be ready for sure.”